Improvement in hatchways



S. l'. RUSSELL. Hatchways.

mm 685 as 2 shee ts -sheet 2.

Patented Dec. 24, 1872.

Jnwnio 7".

.trimmers in a floor each side PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL I. RUSSELL, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HATCHWA-YS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,169, dated December 24, 1872; antedated December 20,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL I. RUssELL, of Ohicago,l1linois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hatchways; and the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which Figure'l'is a vertical section on line w as of Fig. 4; Fig. 2, a vertical section on line y 3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail; Fig. 4, a top view of the closed hatch; and Fig. 5, a perspective, showing a second mode of opening the hatch.

The object of my invention is to construct a hatchway having a sliding cover for closing the same, which will be opened automatically as the platform ascends or descends, and will be closed in like manner after the passage of the platform.

In the drawing, A A represent the joists or of a hatchway; B B, posts, one each side of the hatchway 0, track; d d, sliding covers for the opening; 6,

. pulleys or wheels properly secured to cl d and so arranged as to run upon the tracks 0; ff, open spaces or pockets in which the covers d (1 move; g, supports for the header a; h, frame to which the platformk is attached; '5 z', sheaves in the edge of the covers d d,- j j, iron rods, hinged at the upper end to the platform, and brought together at their lower ends and there provided with a sheave; Z Z, similar rods having their lower ends secured to the platform and their upper ends to the frame h; m, an inclined plane on the lower floor, to facilitate the tripping of the rods j j n, spring to bring the rods j j back to place when the platform ascends; p, rope or cable by which the platform is raised. The headers to a are cut away at each end to make room for the track and form a passage for the wheels 6 e. 1 These headers are supported by means of strong angleirons g, which are secured to the trimmers and to the headers by means of suitable bolts or screws. Thus, though the headers are cut away at the ends, requisite strength is obtained and the headers are not, in fact, weakened. The sliding covers d d pass between the two headers a b, which are placed a little distance apart. Suitable short joists pass from Z) to the floortimbersto support the floor over the pockets ff. The tracks 0 extend to the center of the hatchway, and are so inclined that the covers will run down the tracks and close the hatchway by the action of gravity. When the hatchway is not in use the covers (I 01 will be in the position shown in Fig. 4; and when the platform ascends the rods l l, passing up between the sheaves z t, will force the covers d 01 back into the pockets ff, permitting the platform to pass, and, the platform having passed up, the covers d d will be returned to theposition shown in Fig. 4, covering the hatchway and furnishing security against accident or the passage of fire. Springs or weights may be used, if necessary, to facilitate the return of the covers. When the platform descends the rods j j will open the covers d d, and as the platform approaches the lower floor the sheave t at the lower ends of the rods j j will come in contact with the inclined plane m, and the rods j j, being hinged, will fold up beneath the platform, which will descend until it rests upon the floor,

and when the platform again ascends the spring n will bring the rods j j again into the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the covers (I d are represented partly open.

The pockets f may be lined withjmetal as a protection against fire.

The passage of the rods Z I up between the covers 61 d has a tendency to lift them up, and

friction-rollers may be placed on the edge or top of each cover to diminish the friction.

The sheaves t i are useful to prevent the rope from being rapidly worn away.

Instead of a single set of rods, 1 1, above, and a single set, j j, below, two sets above and two below may be used, placed at the corners of the platform, in which case additional sheaves may be placed in the edges of the covers, at those points where they would be in contact with the rods.

The covers may be opened by the descending platform, by means of the levers O 0, (see Fig. 5,) instead of the rods 1 Z. These levers are hinged at their upper ends at the sides of the hatchway, while their lower ends are brought to the center posts B and pass a little 7 below the edge of the covers. These levers are so arranged relatively to the platform that in its descent it will pass between them, forcing them apart and opening the covers d d. Similar levers can be so arranged that the ascendarranged to close the covers without the aid 3f springs or weights, substantiallyas speci- 2. The header a, when cut away at the ends so as to permit the insertion of the track a, and sustained by suitable supports g, substantially as specified.

3. The hinged rods j j, in combination with the platform 70 and sliding covers 01 d, and inclined plane m, substantially as specified.

4. The hinged rods 9' j, or other similar suitable device for opening the covers d d, in combination with the sliding covers 01 d, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the hinged rods j j, platform 70, covers (I d, inclined plane on, and spring a, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. I

6. The sliding covers (1 d, in combination with the platform 7c, levers G G, and springs s s or other suitable device for returning the levers to place, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

SAMUEL I. RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

E. A. Wnsr, O. W. BOND. 

